Improvement in music-leaf turners



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR W. BUSH AND MARSHALL MGOOMB, OF ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MUSIC-LEAF TURNERS.

Specification forming part oi' Letters Patent No. 117,511, dated August l, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR W. BUSH and MARSHALL MGOOMB, of St. Cloud, in the county of Stearns and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and Improved Music-Leaf Turner; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, elear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art t0 make and use the same,referenee being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in apparatus for turning sheets or leaves of music on pianos or other instruments, and on performers stands, and consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a front view, showing the device applied. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. l taken on the line w. Fig. 3 is a detail to be referred to hereafter. Fig. 4 is a top view. Fig. 5 is a detail, showing the spring and cord and the manner of attaching them together and to the arm.

Similar letters ofreference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the music-rack, B,the sheet-music. O O C are arms connected by a common pivot with the plate D. The plate D is provided with a slide, E, to which the pivot-ears F are attached. The pivoted ends of the arms O are circular, with a groove in the periphery to receive each a cord, G. This cord is attached to the arm, as seen in Fig. 5, at the point H. Irepresents a spiral spring for each arm, placed side by side on the plate D. The cords G are attached to these springs, as seen at J. K is an oblique slot in each ofthe arms. When the arms are turned back onto the springs, as seen in Fig. 5, it will be seen that the cords will draw upon the springs and have a lever-purchase upon the arms, the fulcrum being the pivot which passes through each arm, and through the ears at F. It is this short purchase which the cords have upon the arms which throws the arms (and the leaf of music) from right to left when the arms (one after the other) are released. The arms are held in position when they are turned back by means o'a little swingframe, L, connected with the plate D, which frame engages with the slots K in the arms. The frame L is held in position so that it will be received by the slots by the horizontal lever-plate M, the

end of which lever takes hold ofthe frame by a fork, as seen in Fig. 2. N is the fulcrum of the lever M. The outer end of the lever H has a ratchet-tooth for each ofthe arms C. Pis a bellcrank which works on the pivot q, the upper arm B of which engages with the ratchet-teeth in the end of the lever M. This end ofthe lever projects over the corner of the piano so that the arm of the bell-crank P stands vertical. On the horizontal arm is the key S, which is but slightly raised above the keys ofthe instrument, so that the performer can touch it without inconvenience and thereby turn the leaves. T is a plate which slides on the lever M, and' U is a little knob attached to the plate. When the plate is pulled outward it comes in contact with the end ofthe arm R of the bell-crank, and disengages it or pushes it from the ratchet-teeth. On the end of each ofthe arms C are iingers which receive the leaves of music, or 'between which the leaves of music are placed, as seen in Fig. 1. It will be remembered that when the arms O are thus turned back, and each engaged with or holding a leaf, the springs are strained and the cords are drawing upon them, ready to throw them from right to left when they are released from the frame L. The oblique slots or notches K are placed so that the arms are released, one at a time, and so as to correspond with the ratchet-teeth on the end of the lever M. The position of the slots is indicated by the lines Yin Fig. 3. WV represents stop-pins to limit the motion of the bell-crank arm R. Now, when the arms O have all been turned to the right, as seen in the drawing, and the plate T has been pushed back, as seen in Fig. 4, to allow the arm B to engage with the ratchet-teeth, it will he seen that, by pressing down on the key S, the lever M will be moved one tooth, and the frame L will be moved sufciently to release one of the arms C. x is a spring by which the bell-crank is thrown back after the key has been pressed down so that the arm R will engage with the next tooth, and so on, for each of the arms O. Z is a spring attached to the plate D for holding the sheet-music in place on the rack.

In this example of our invention we show three arms, G, arranged to turn three leaves, but we do not confine ourselves to any particular number, nor to any particular instrument for the apl plication of our improvement, nor to any particular inode of operating it, as it is apparent that 2. The slide-plate T, substantially as and for it may be arranged so as to be operated with the the purposes described.

foot instead ofthe finger. 3. The slots i in. combination with the frame This apparatus may be readily detached from L, substantially as described.

the piano or other instrument, and as readily at- 4. The detachable plate D and slide E, subtached When required for use. stantially as and for the purposes described.

Having thus described our invention, We claim ARTHUR W. BUSH.

as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- MARSHALL MCCOMB.

l. The arms O, cord G, springs I, frame L, lever Witnesses:

M, and bell-crank P, arranged to operate sub- NATHAN F. BARNES,

stantially as and for the purposes described. WM. RUST. 

